Tobacco use is by far the top avoidable cause of disease, disability, and death inthe United States, responsible for nearly one in five deaths. Currently about 50
million adults in this country, mostly men, smoke cigarettes. Although smoking
is generally declining, the number of adolescents and young adults who are
beginning to smoke is on the rise. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 different
chemicals; about 200 of them are poisonous, and more than 40 are cancercausing.
Smoking is so dangerous that approximately 400,000 deaths are
attributed to smoking-related causes in the United States each year. The health problems caused by smoking are the number one cause of death in men in this country.
If you smoke, you will notice the gradual onset of a host of long-term problems. Your senses of smell and taste will weaken, you will get more frequent colds than before, facial wrinkling will intensify, and you will develop a nagging “smoker’s cough,” which is actually a symptom of a serious disease called chronic bronchitis . You also increase your chances of developing cancers of the lung and other organs, emphysema, high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease. You also place your family at risk of the same health problems by exposing them to secondhand smoke. Most men first experiment with smoking in adolescence because it makes them feel more adult and rebellious. The earlier someone starts smoking, the less likely he is to quit. Experimentation quickly turns into tolerance of and then addiction to nicotine, the habit-forming drug in tobacco that keeps smokers hooked. Nicotine creates a persistent craving for more tobacco, and the amount and frequency of use usually increases, so that a smoker may feel the need to smoke two packs a day to get the same satisfaction that one daily pack once provided. Not smoking for as few as several hours produces uncomfortable nicotine withdrawal symptoms, including irritability, limited concentration, and intense cravings. These symptoms compel the person to smoke even when he knows the
adverse health risks. Many social activities, such as having drinks in a bar with friends, also are conducive to smoking, making it a difficult habit to break. Tobacco advertising has a major role in encouraging adolescents to take up smoking before they are mature enough to understand the long-term health risks. Young people serve as the largest pool of new customers for the tobacco industry; they replace adult smokers who have quit or died. Tobacco advertising is no longer allowed on television, but the tobacco industry still spends about $5 billion each year on advertising in magazines, on billboards, and at music and
sporting events to lure new smokers with the promise of sex appeal, glamour, or rugged adventure. The following pages will describe how smoking damages your body, outline the hazardous effects of secondhand smoke, and explain the risks of cigar smoking and smokeless tobacco use.
